Sealing Wax -- brittle or flexible

[jbb]

For ages I've prefered flexible sealing wax because it goes though the mail without breaking. I use Herbin's supple wax. Recently, however, I taken up a passion for the old fashioned kind of wax that breaks when you open it. I acquired some hundred year old wax that does the job nicely. Of course now I can't use it on the outside of my envelopes. Which kind of wax do you prefer?

[Gulfcoast]

You have some really cool inkwells.


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[jbb]

Thanks. Those little glass dishes are all my iron gall/powdered iron gall ink tests. Those are not actually inkwells but rather repurposed salt cellars and votive candle holders. (Easy and cheap to find at yard sales & thrift stores.)

[cedargirl]

For ages I've prefered flexible sealing wax because it goes though the mail without breaking. I use Herbin's supple wax. Recently, however, I taken up a passion for the old fashioned kind of wax that breaks when you open it. I acquired some hundred year old wax that does the job nicely. Of course now I can't use it on the outside of my envelopes. Which kind of wax do you prefer?

I've been thinking of getting some for ages, but haven't. But I'm not attracted to the supple non-breaking wax - it's not so nice to break through and it gets caught on and smeared by the automatic letter sorters - at least that's what it looks like.
I like the idea of the more brittle stuff that breaks when you open the letter and I've been wondering how it would go sealing the folded pages of a letter inside the envelope, rather than on the outside. What do you think?

[Judybug]

I like the old-fashioned kind best, too; but when I use sealing wax, I usually use the flexible kind so it will survive the postal machinery. If you use the old-fashioned kind on an inner envelope, will it survive in the mail or will the machinery still break it? Maybe it would have to be sent in one of those padded envelopes? Just wondering.

[Chemyst]

If you use the old-fashioned kind on an inner envelope, will it survive in the mail or will the machinery still break it?

Your recipient will get an envelope full of greasy crumbs and bits of wax smashed into the paper.

Maybe it would have to be sent in one of those padded envelopes?

Sometimes this works, but a rigid box is better.

[cedargirl]

I like the old-fashioned kind best, too; but when I use sealing wax, I usually use the flexible kind so it will survive the postal machinery. If you use the old-fashioned kind on an inner envelope, will it survive in the mail or will the machinery still break it? Maybe it would have to be sent in one of those padded envelopes? Just wondering.

You're right.

Your recipient will get an envelope full of greasy crumbs and bits of wax smashed into the paper.

Maybe it would have to be sent in one of those padded envelopes?

Sometimes this works, but a rigid box is better.

Doubly right - who wants messy crumbs!

Guess I won't try that then ...

[jbb]

I wonder if an extra sheet of paper or two wrapped around the brittle wax would work for a seal which is inside an envelope.

[cedargirl]

Hi jbb

Maybe. I was wondering about a stiffener inside and a padded envelope on the outside. It gets all a bit complicated. I can see why the flexible stuff was developed.

I had a lengthy discussion with our local postmaster recently, when I was trying to package a pen most economically. He said that for delivery between domestic post office boxes, letters get transported in plastic trays/boxes and get tipped onto a sorting conveyor. As long as the letter is less than about 25mm it won't get stuck during sorting. That all sounded quite delicate.
But from there - who knows what happens when it gets put into a postie's bag or an airliner hold?

[Bogon07]

As long as the letter is less than about 25mm it won't get stuck during sorting.

Ah that is why the PO officer tested a couple of domestic letters with a slot gauge yesterday. You'll be able to check it yourself soon.

[cedargirl]

Yep. I need to measure the slot width - he just tries to push it through. By taking one layer of padding off the pen, I reduced the postage cost from $8.95 to $1.40. I was happy - especially since it was a return!

[VertOlive]

I like the old fashioned brittle kind. I just bought some beautiful, dark amber colored wax and intend to experiment a bit!

From CastleintheAir:

25_amber.jpg

[jbb]

I like the old fashioned brittle kind. I just bought some beautiful, dark amber colored wax and intend to experiment a bit!

From CastleintheAir:

25_amber.jpg

Nice!!!! Something new to want!

[Bogon07]

It looks like a blob of rich toffee.

[MisterBoll]

Lovely rich tone on that wax although I'm starting to think of switching to clear wax - just for a change of pace.

[VertOlive]

I'd like to see a photo of a clear wax seal if you do it, sounds interesting.

[mastersmith]

I like the old fashioned brittle kind. I just bought some beautiful, dark amber colored wax and intend to experiment a bit!

From CastleintheAir:

25_amber.jpg

I have a stick of this stuff and love to use it. Keep in mind that if you send a letter with this sealing the outside, you must request that the letter is hand-canceled for it to have a dream of arriving safely.